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Xiaoqing Rong

This project chronicles my journey from solitude, marked initially by negative emotions, towards a state of self-acceptance.

"REBUILDING THE VERIFICATION OF EXISTENCE"


I witnessed myself in various states of social distress. Limited activity, social distance and extended time spent alone led to anxiety, loneliness, fear, and confusion.


During the Covid pandemic, NYC and the world have slowed down a bit, everything moves slowly. This allowed me to look at my surroundings and see things I have never seen before. Every object in this collection has a trace of real life. They visualise the beauty and fragility of my so-called negative feelings.


Life's traces bring nostalgic feelings of having a connection with someone or something. Words explaining emotions are abstract, general, and overused. Instead, I designed objects that can be touched by and connected with the body, to imitate and embody feelings. By incorporating transparent materials such as acrylic, resin and crystals with sterling silver, these feelings are captured in each piece of jewelry. Those concentrated depressing emotions illustrate an image of myself that I have never seen before, and introduce me to the importance of self-acceptance. This thesis has become an act of self-improvement. I do not want to fight against these negative emotions, but rather, as in Eastern philosophy, I want to move with the resistance, to go with the flow.


The "self" in this collection includes not only me but also other people in similar situations. By touching these negative feelings, we ground ourselves in the world, assuring ourselves that we can exist in different ways. It also explores who we are and where we belong.

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